Such Great Heights
by QueenBee7
Summary: AU in which Kurt is the new elevator boy in Blaine's apartment building. A New York City love story set at multiple altitudes.
1. Chapter 1

**So I don't even know if I'm going to go anywhere with this, but the idea just sort of came to me so I thought I'd give it a try. I have a few thoughts for continuing it, so we'll see. Feedback would be very much appreciated :). **

* * *

There was the clang of opening doors and Blaine stepped into the elevator, eyes fixed on the package in his hand. It was a thick envelope from The Tisch School of the Arts, containing (or so he had guessed), the course booklet for next year and an assortment of other information.

"Sorry, what floor?" came a high, clear voice that Blaine didn't recognize.

He looked up quickly, his eyes fixing on - _God_.

Standing on the other side of the elevator, just a few feet a way from him, was the most beautiful boy he had ever seen. Dark brown hair, smooth, pale skin, and eyes that seemed to be having a hard time deciding whether they were blue, gray, or green.

"I - what?" Blaine stammered, momentarily distracted from the envelope.

"What floor?" the boy asked again, gesturing towards the numbers on the elevator panel. "Sorry, first day."

"Oh. Oh! Right, sorry. Uh - 12. Yeah. 12."

The boy nodded and slid the doors shut. There was a jolt, and the elevator started moving upwards.

"So you're new?" Blaine said rather stupidly.

"Yeah," the boy replied. "Summer job," he added.

"Cool," Blaine said, although he was suddenly feeling hotter than usual. "Do you live in New York?"

"I'm from Ohio" - the boy made a face - "but I didn't want to go home for the summer. I just finished my freshman year at NYU."

"You go to NYU?" Blaine yelped (again, rather stupidly).

"Yeah," the boy said, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Why, do you go there too?"

"I -" Blaine held up the envelope. "I'm starting there in the fall. At Tisch."

"Oh, wow. Congratulations."

"You like it?" Blaine asked, right as the elevator lurched to a halt.

"I love it," the boy said, rolling the door open. "Uh - we're here," he prompted when Blaine didn't move.

Blaine blushed. "Oh! Sorry. Thanks." He hurried out of the elevator and turned to look back at the boy. "I'm Blaine, by the way."

"Kurt," the boy said. "I'll remember your floor next time. Promise."

"I'll hold you to that," Blaine replied, astonished by his own ability to come up with a semi-witty response.

As the elevator door closed, Kurt flashed him a slight smile that made his stomach flutter.

Alone in the hallway outside his apartment, Blaine leaned against the door, staring unseeingly at the envelope in his hands.

It seemed he had a bit of a thing for the new elevator boy.

"Shit," he groaned.

* * *

"He's _gorgeous_, Rachel," Kurt gushed into his phone as he crossed the street.

"You know, it's very unprofessional to have a crush on someone you work for, Kurt," Rachel tutted disapprovingly.

Kurt rolled his eyes and made a huffing noise. "I knew I should have called Mercedes."

"Wait! Sorry," Rachel said hurriedly. "Fine," she sighed. "What's he look like?"

Kurt grinned to himself.

"Dark hair, hazel eyes, this perfect mouth - " he paused for a moment, reminiscing. "A bit shorter than I usually go for, but still - _God_."

"Do you think he's gay?"

Kurt was surprised to realize that he hadn't even thought about that. For some reason, he had just assumed.

"God, I hope so."

Rachel giggled. "And you guys talked?"

"Mm, a bit. He's going to NYU next year."

"Ooh, a younger man," she teased.

"It's only a year!" Kurt cried defensively.

"I'm kidding." There was a beat, and then she said: "You know you could get in a lot of trouble though, Kurt."

Kurt did his best to sound indifferent when he responded. "Relax, it's not like anything's even going to happen."

"I'm just saying."

"Yeah, I know." He sighed. "Look, I'm only a few blocks away from home, so I'll see you soon."

"'Kay, bye."

Kurt clicked "End," on his phone, running through Rachel's words in his head. She was right, of course.

And then he thought back on Blaine's face, his eagerness when he heard that Kurt went to NYU, the way he had blushed slightly (or had Kurt imagined that?) when he introduced himself.

It seemed he had a bit of a thing for the boy from the 12th floor.

"Shit," Kurt groaned.

* * *

**I know this is super short and super G-rated, but I promise that if I decide to write more there will be plenty of smut (cough elevator sex cough). Just... let me know if you think it's worth continuing. And thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, I have a bunch of things I want to say, so apologizing in advance for what will probably be an obnoxiously long author's note: first of all, a HUGE thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed the first chapter of this story. Your feedback made me so happy and also really encouraged me to continue writing. Keep it coming! I'm sorry that it took a whole week to update - I needed some time to map out the story in my head, but now I have a pretty good sense of where I want it to go (at least for the next couple chapters). I'm pretty excited about it, so I hope you'll all keep reading! Also, it's going to take some time to get there, but I _promise_ there will be smut eventually.**

**Alright, that actually wasn't so bad... OH ALSO: the title comes from the song "Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service.**

* * *

By the time Kurt arrived at work the next morning, he had convinced himself of two things: 1) that being interested in a resident of the building he worked in was a terrible idea for a number of very convincing reasons, and 2) that Blaine couldn't possibly have been _that_ attractive. In fact, he was feeling so confident in his ability to overcome this silly little crush that he barely even reacted when the bell rang for the 12th floor.

And then the doors opened, and it all went to shit.

Blaine was standing in the hallway, fiddling with the strap on his messenger bag and looking - how was that even possible? - even more gorgeous than Kurt remembered.

"Good morning!" he greeted cheerfully, smiling widely as he bounded into the elevator.

God, his eyelashes were like a fucking mile long.

"Good morning," Kurt replied, determinedly ignoring the butterflies that had suddenly begun swooping around his stomach.

"How are you?" Blaine asked, and it sounded like he genuinely wanted to know.

"I'm good, thanks, how are you?"

"Not bad."

"Where are you headed?" Kurt asked, then silently panicked that that was too nosy of a question to ask someone you had just met.

Blaine didn't seem to mind. "Just off to work. I got a job at this coffee shop a few blocks from here."

"Oh, nice. What's it called?"

"Julie's? I don't know if you've heard of it."

"Sounds familiar, but I've never been," Kurt said. He and Rachel had stumbled upon a cozy little cafe during their second week in the city and had been loyal (almost fanatically so) customers ever since, so he hadn't spent much time in other coffee shops.

"You should stop by some time," Blaine suggested. "It's pretty good. And I, uh - I perform there sometimes. They have open mic nights on Thursdays."

"Do you sing?"

Blaine nodded. "Yeah. I play guitar, too."

Of course.

"That's really cool. I'll definitely have to check it out."

(_And swoon pathetically in a corner while I watch._)

Blaine beamed at him.

They had reached the lobby, and Blaine stepped out of the elevator. "Thanks, Kurt." Oh, his name sounded so nice on Blaine's tongue. "See you around."

"Bye," Kurt replied, cursing himself internally.

God, he was _so_ screwed.

* * *

When Kurt left work that afternoon, it was drizzling lightly. By the time he reached Washington Square Park ten minutes later, the weather had progressed from a drizzle to a torrential downpour that now seemed to include - though Kurt was baffled by how this was even possible when it was so hot out - hail. Needless to say, his small umbrella wasn't really cutting it anymore.

He was debating seeking refuge indoors - his and Rachel's cafe was only a block away - when he saw a small and thoroughly drenched figure rushing through the park, arms thrown protectively over his head as the rain and hail pounded down on him. A moment later, Kurt realized that it was Blaine.

"Blaine!" Kurt called out before he could stop himself.

Blaine spun around, smiling when he recognized Kurt. "Hey!" he said, hurrying over.

"God, you're soaked," Kurt said, eyeing Blaine's dripping hair and definitely not noticing how tightly that wet shirt was clinging to his chest. "Here, come share my umbrella."

"Thanks," Blaine said gratefully, huddling close - _so close_ - to Kurt and wiping the water off his face. "Can you believe this?"

"It's crazy," Kurt replied, shaking his head. "Since when does it hail in the summer?"

Blaine laughed. "I don't know. Lucky you thought to bring an umbrella, though. Clearly I wasn't so smart."

Kurt made a split second (and probably rash) decision.

"If you want to dry off a bit, there's this cafe around the corner that my roommate and I always go to," he offered. "I was thinking of hiding out there until this storm dies down."

He could practically hear Rachel's sigh of resigned disapproval as the words left his mouth.

Blaine looked pleased. "That would be great."

"Yeah?"

"Lead the way."

They crouched under the umbrella and moved along as quickly as possible, shoulders rubbing together perhaps a bit more often than was strictly necessary (although maybe Kurt was just imagining things). They chatted easily, and Kurt learned the limits of Blaine's affinity for extreme weather:

"I normally kind of like being caught in the rain, actually," he said. "But even I draw the line at falling balls of ice."

Blaine held the door open when they arrived at the cafe, and Kurt briefly felt the rush of butterflies returning from this morning. But the swooping sensation abruptly turned to an unpleasant twist of nerves when he saw the person standing at the register.

He had _completely_ forgotten Santana worked this shift.

"Shit," he swore under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Blaine asked curiously, running a distracting hand through his hair.

"Oh - nothing. Just, the cashier is a friend of mine. She's, ah - you'll see," Kurt muttered.

"Hummel!" Santana called as they approached the counter. He watched the trademark smirk flash across her features at the exact moment she realized he was there with Blaine.

"Hey, San," he said warily.

"Who's your friend?" she asked bluntly, giving Blaine an approving (and rather obvious) once-over and quirking an eyebrow at Kurt.

He was _never_ going to hear the end of this.

"This is Blaine," Kurt said. "He lives in the building I work in. Blaine, this is my friend Santana. We went to high school together."

"Nice to meet you," Blaine said politely.

"Pleasure," Santana replied, shooting Kurt another look. Kurt countered with his own trademark bitch face and prayed that she wouldn't do anything too terrible.

She was reasonably well-behaved as she got them their drinks, limiting the Santana-ness to throwing gleeful smirks at Kurt whenever Blaine was busy squeezing water out of his t-shirt. When Blaine wandered off to get them a table, she grabbed Kurt's arm and put her lips to his ear. "Well done, Hummel," she purred. "He is one _fine_ piece of ass."

"Santana!" Kurt hissed, blushing. "Shut up, it's nothing."

"Like hell," she scoffed. "I expect all the dirty details later. Now go play." She patted his arm and pranced off to greet another set of dripping wet customers.

Kurt rolled his eyes and trudged over to the table Blaine was sitting at, grinning when he saw that a small puddle had already formed on the floor beneath Blaine's seat.

"Sorry about her," Kurt said, sliding into the chair across from him.

"I like her," Blaine announced. "She's feisty."

"I suppose that's one way of putting it."

Blaine chuckled. "So you guys went to high school together?"

"Yeah. And with my roommate Rachel too, actually. We were all in glee club together."

Blaine's face lit up at the mention of glee. "You sing too?"

"Not as much as I used to, but yes."

"Why not as much as you used to?" Blaine asked curiously.

"I still love it, but I have more things in my life that make me happy now," Kurt explained. "I needed it more in high school. It was... a refuge for me."

"You had a hard time in high school?" Blaine asked quietly.

"For my first three years, I was the only out gay kid in the entire school," Kurt said. Blaine's eyes widened. "Not an easy road, especially in Ohio."

"Wow," Blaine said softly. "But you had the glee club?"

Kurt nodded. "They were great. And my dad was - is - so supportive. But no one _really_ understood. It was just... lonely."

He glanced down at his steaming coffee mug, suddenly very aware of the fact that he was pouring his heart out to a relative stranger. When he looked up again, Blaine was watching him carefully, his expression sad.

"I know," Blaine breathed, his voice almost a whisper. He cleared his throat. "I mean - I'm gay, too." He bit his lip, clearly steeling himself for something. "The bullying got so bad I had to switch schools."

Kurt fought a sudden impulse to reach across the table and take Blaine's hand.

"I'm sorry," he said instead.

Blaine shrugged, smiling faintly. "I'm fine now."

"Things got better after you transferred?"

"Much. I made some great friends, started singing in places other than my shower." He paused and sipped thoughtfully on his coffee as Kurt giggled. "My dad's not so supportive," he said rather bluntly. Kurt stopped giggling abruptly, and Blaine hurried to add: "But other than that, things are good."

"What does your dad do?" Kurt asked tentatively, wary of pressing too much.

Blaine sighed. "He just... he ignores it, mostly. We don't talk about me being gay, ever. It's like he thinks it's not real if we don't address it."

Kurt felt his heart break just a little bit. "Oh, Blaine," he murmured.

"It's alright," Blaine said, perking up again. "I'm moving into NYU dorms in August, and I'm making money of my own now. I'll be on my own soon enough, and then it won't matter."

Kurt felt privately that it would probably always matter, but he sensed that Blaine wanted to move away from the subject.

"So, Tisch," he said, smiling brightly. "Talk to me about it!"

From there, the conversation veered into happier territory, covering NYU, classes, music, and much more. By the time they got up to leave, the rain had stopped and Blaine's shirt was nearly dry.

"It was really great talking to you, Kurt," Blaine said as they stepped outside. "Thanks for saving me from the hail."

"My pleasure," Kurt laughed. "My umbrella is yours to share any time."

"I appreciate that."

They stood looking at each other for a moment, suddenly awkward in their parting.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then?" Blaine said, tucking his hands into his pockets.

Kurt nodded. "See you."

And then they headed off in opposite directions, both of them fighting the urge to turn and look back.

* * *

**So there you have it... I hope it lived up to your expectations :). And I appreciate you pulling yourselves away from Box-Scene craziness (most beautiful thing ever, seriously) to read my story. Also, this is kind of ridiculous, but question: does anyone have suggestions for what Santana should call Kurt? I feel like she would never just call him Kurt, but I'm having a hard time settling on a nickname that feels right (hence the Hummel). So feel free to share if you think of anything brilliant!**

**Okay, I'm done now. Again, thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter was absurdly fun to write. I hope you enjoy it too!**

* * *

Blaine lay awake in bed for hours that night, replaying every moment of his conversation with Kurt over and over in his head. He marveled at how easily the topics had flown, how comfortable he had felt sharing so much of his personal life with a boy he had only just met. But Kurt had done the same with him - had done it first, in fact - and somehow, it just felt right.

Blaine only wished they had met each other years ago.

He wondered whether Kurt felt the same way - whether he could sense that there was really something between them. He wondered whether Kurt smiled whenever he thought of Blaine, or if he even thought of Blaine when they weren't together. He wondered whether Kurt would be pleased or horrified to know that Blaine had wanted to kiss him today in the cafe, or that now Blaine was thinking about kissing him in lots of other places too.

Like the elevator, say.

When all of the thinking got to be too much, he fetched his guitar, settling cross-legged on his bed and strumming idly. He put his thoughts to music, fingers mapping out random chords until they actually started to sound something like a melody.

It was only after he had put his guitar away and climbed into bed many hours later that he realized he had been singing about Kurt.

* * *

"So, did you use protection yesterday, Hummel?" Santana asked, draping herself across the tiny couch in Kurt and Rachel's common room.

It was her way of greeting him after arriving (uninvited, as she was prone to do) at their apartment the next day.

"Excuse me?" Kurt said, looking up from the crossword puzzle he was working on.

"I just meant that I hope you were safe during the bout of blatant eye fucking I witnessed yesterday at the cafe," she said, examining her nails as Kurt glared at her.

"What?!" Rachel screeched, looking back and forth between the two of them. "Eye - with who? _Blaine?_"

"We were not _eye-fucking_," Kurt snapped, blushing. "But yes, I was with Blaine," he added with a sigh.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Rachel cried indignantly as Santana looked on in self-satisfied amusement.

"It's none of your business!"

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows skeptically.

Kurt sighed. "Fine, and I knew what you would say."

Rachel gave him an annoyingly knowing look and opened her mouth to respond, but Santana intervened.

"Oh, spare us the lecture, Berry," she said, fixing her eyes on Kurt. "Kurt - spill."

Rachel pouted for a moment, but her curiosity seemed to get the better of her. "Fine. I will keep my judgment of the situation to myself," she announced loftily. Then, assuming the air of a schoolgirl at a slumber party: "What happened, Kurt?"

Resigned to the fact that they were going to drag it out of him anyway, Kurt launched into the story of the impromptu coffee date, finding that talking about Blaine (especially to a pair of highly attentive girls) was almost as fun as actually being with him. His retelling of the incident was punctuated by snorts of disgust and the occasional lewd comment from Santana and dreamy sighs at all the right times from Rachel.

"He's just... really sweet," Kurt concluded. "And easy to talk to. It all just felt so natural."

Rachel, who seemed to have temporarily forgotten that she was opposed to this relationship, nodded knowingly. "Did you see him today?" she asked.

"Just in the elevator," Kurt shrugged. "We talked for a bit, but he was going to work."

"You should ask him to coffee again," Rachel suggested.

"You should ask him if he wants to bone in the elevator," Santana countered.

Rachel let out an offended gasp and Kurt blushed, a thousand decidedly inappropriate images flashing through his mind.

"God, you two are such prudes," Santana scoffed. "But now Kurt's totally thinking about it."

Rachel turned and eyed him suspiciously, evidently trying to work out for herself if Santana was right (she was, of course). Kurt flushed an even deeper red.

"Shut up, Santana," he grumbled.

He was never going to be able to look Blaine in the eye in the elevator again.

* * *

As it turned out, Kurt was able to look Blaine in the eye elevator again, though admittedly it took a few days of blushing into the button panel while they talked before he got there. Fortunately, Blaine was so easy to be around that Kurt couldn't help but slip naturally into conversation with him, all thoughts of Santana's advice temporarily forgotten.

And if sometimes, after they said goodbye, Kurt's mind wandered to fantasies of throwing Blaine against the side of the elevator and having his way with him - well, Blaine didn't have to know about that.

Ever.

About a week or so after the coffee date-thing (Rachel and Santana insisted it had been date, but Kurt wasn't so sure), Kurt was asked to cover the 4-12 shift for a coworker who was out sick. He was disappointed, because it meant he would miss seeing Blaine in the morning, but he hoped he might catch him on his way home from work.

Sure enough, Blaine turned up about half an hour into Kurt's shift, sweating lightly after his walk home. His face lit up when he saw Kurt.

"Hey!" he said in surprise.

Kurt was about to respond when another boy stepped into the elevator. He was tall and slim, and undeniably attractive, though Kurt thought he had a bit of a smarmy air about him. He had only seen the boy once or twice since he started working, but if he remembered correctly, he lived in the penthouse.

"Blaine!" the boy drawled, standing closer to Blaine than Kurt thought was really necessary. "What a lovely surprise."

"Hey, Sebastian," Blaine said politely, shifting ever-so-slightly away from him. "Have you met Kurt?"

Sebastian spared Kurt an unimpressed glance. "You're the new staff?" he asked rather rudely.

"Yes," Kurt said stiffly.

"Charming," Sebastian sneered, turning his attention back to Blaine. "I've been wondering when I would see you again," he murmured in a low, seductive voice.

Kurt's heart sank. Did that mean they were seeing each other? Like _seeing_ each other seeing each other?

Blaine looked uncomfortable. "Oh, you know, I've just been busy with work."

"Well, why don't we hang out now?" Sebastian suggested, eyeing Blaine like he was something to eat. They had just reached Blaine's floor.

"Sorry, I can't," Blaine said quickly. "Lots of stuff to do. Maybe some other time!"

"I'll make sure of it," Sebastian said smoothly. "In the mean time..." He fished something out of his pocket and leaned in, handing it to Blaine. Blaine stared down at the key in his palm, his expression one of mingled confusion and alarm. "It's to the roof," Sebastian explained. "Just in case you ever feel like paying me a visit." He winked.

Kurt had to actively prevent his jaw from falling open. He didn't think he had ever witnessed someone getting hit on so blatantly.

"Oh. Um, thanks," Blaine said awkwardly, blushing and stuffing the key into his pocket. "I'll, uh, talk to you later. Bye, Kurt."

He practically ran out of the elevator, and Kurt was left alone with Sebastian, who was now reclining against the wall with a smug expression on his face. When they got to the penthouse, he exited the elevator without even saying thank you, leaving Kurt to fume in silence.

* * *

"I think Blaine's hooking up with someone," Kurt declared, flinging himself down on Rachel's bed and releasing a disheartened sigh.

"What?!" Rachel cried, spinning around in her desk chair. "How do you know?"

"There was this _vile_ guy in the elevator," Kurt huffed. "And he was so rude to me but he was flirting with Blaine _so_ obviously. He was practically oozing sex all over the floor."

Rachel cringed. "Was Blaine flirting back?" she asked.

Kurt considered for a moment. "Not really," he conceded. "But still, the way Sebastian - that was his name, ugh - was talking to him, it made it sound like there was something going on."

"Maybe he's just really aggressive," Rachel suggested hopefully.

"Maybe."

Rachel got up and walked over to seat herself on the bed beside Kurt. "Look, it doesn't necessarily mean there's anything going on," she said, rubbing Kurt's back reassuringly. "It just means that maybe you have a little competition."

Kurt made a noncommital noise.

"But honestly Kurt, is it really worth it?" Rachel continued. "I mean, you already know my... concerns with this whole thing. And now you're all upset, so I just have to ask - do you really think he's worth it?"

Kurt looked up at her, biting his lip. His heart screamed that _yes, of course_ it was worth it, because he had never connected with anyone as quickly and easily as he had connected with Blaine. But the situation was complicated - he had his job to consider, and he wasn't about to throw away a summer in New York over a guy he had just met. And now there was the whole issue of Sebastian as well.

"I don't know," Kurt admitted. "I just - I _feel_ something with him, Rachel. It sounds stupid, but we connect."

He imagined Santana miming vomiting at his words, but Rachel nodded sympathetically.

"Well - can't you be connected as friends?" she said. "I mean, if you feel this way, you should of course keep him in your life. But maybe it would be simpler if everything just stayed platonic. At least for now."

Kurt doubted whether he would ever be able to keep his feelings for Blaine strictly platonic, but Rachel had a point. It made a lot more sense to think of Blaine strictly as a friend, especially now that there was a chance that he wasn't even available. At least Kurt had a lot of practice hiding his feelings for other guys.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Kurt said with a sigh.

Rachel smiled and squeezed his hand. "I usually am."

Kurt rolled his eyes, and she laughed.

"Come on," she said, standing and tugging on his hand. "I'll get the ice cream."

* * *

**Feedback is always very much appreciated :). Next chapter will be up soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I know today has been rough for the Klaine fandom, so this is my humble attempt to cheer everyone up with a bit of fluff. I hope it helps :). And remember, my friends, Kurt and Blaine are end game. I have faith in them. **

**Also, a note on the timeline of this story: I envisioned their first meeting around mid-May, and as you will see, by the end of this chapter they're in late June. Maybe this wasn't confusing to anyone but me, but I felt like I needed to clarify that.**

* * *

"Hey, Kurt," Blaine greeted as he stepped into the elevator the following morning. He was mellower than usual today, his expression distraught, even vaguely guilty.

Kurt was a bit disoriented himself - a jumble of nerves, repressed feelings, and a touch of anger (completely unjustified, he kept reminding himself) at Blaine over the whole Sebastian incident.

"Hey," he said, wondering if his voice actually sounded weird or if he was just being paranoid.

There was an awkward pause, and then:

"I'm really sorry about yesterday," Blaine blurted out.

Kurt raised his eyebrows in (mostly feigned) confusion.

Blaine blushed. "About Sebastian, I mean," he clarified.

"Oh."

Blaine continued before Kurt could say anything else: "He's kind of douchebag, and he was rude to you, and I'm sorry." Blaine looked at him with adorably pleading eyes.

"It's fine," Kurt said, completely touched. "Really. It's not your fault."

"Yeah, but still. I should have said something."

"It's okay," Kurt insisted. "I can take care of myself. But thank you."

Blaine flashed him a relieved smile.

"And just so you know - despite what it may have sounded like - there's nothing going on with me and Sebastian," Blaine said. He was blushing again (not that Kurt noticed or read into that at all).

Just like he wasn't silently cheering that Blaine was single.

"Oh," Kurt said again, not sure what his response should be. "Well, good. He seems like a jerk."

There. That was something a friend would say, right?

"Yeah," Blaine agreed. "I have way better taste than that."

Their eyes locked for a moment, and oh God, why did his eyelashes have to be so absurdly pretty and long? It wasn't fair, Kurt just wanted to -

There was a shrill noise as someone from the 8th floor rang for the elevator, and Kurt crashed back to reality. He realized in embarrassment that they had been stopped in the lobby for nearly a minute now.

He rolled the doors open hurriedly, chastising himself for having such non-platonic thoughts about Blaine. They were _friends_. Acquaintances, really. That was all.

"Thanks," Blaine said, looking a bit flustered. "See you later."

Kurt nodded and shut the elevator doors as quickly as possible, relieved to be alone again. He was extra-friendly to the lady from 8 when she got into the elevator, grateful that she had saved him from saying something stupid (and likely mortifying) to Blaine. This had to stop - it was foolish and unprofessional and if he didn't pull it together soon he was probably just going to end up getting hurt. He had promised himself (and Rachel) that he was going to keep things strictly platonic, and he had to stick to that.

But those _eyes_...

This whole just-friends thing was going to be even harder than Kurt had thought.

* * *

And he was right, it was hard. It was hard because Blaine was sweet and charming and beautiful, and because even just seeing him for a minute or two in the morning completely brightened Kurt's day. It was hard because every now and then Blaine did something that made Kurt think, just for a second, that maybe Blaine really was interested in him. And it was hard because with every passing day, their relationship was progressing - not romantically, but progressing nonetheless - into a truly wonderful friendship.

At Blaine's request, they went for coffee a second time (friends got coffee together, okay?), and after that it turned into something of a ritual for them. They met up after work a few times a week, exploring local coffee shops and talking endlessly about everything from music to family to favorite books and fashion idols. They discovered that they were both die-hard Harry Potter fans, that they both had brothers (Blaine said that his would probably visit at some point this summer, while Kurt noted that his was staying away due to the fact that he was still in love with a certain brown-haired roommate of Kurt's), and that their tastes in ice cream flavors didn't overlap at all.

By the end of June, they knew each other's coffee orders by heart.

And it was so lovely. Kurt had never had a friend like Blaine. Yes, Rachel was fantastic, and Santana was more devoted than she cared to admit, and Mercedes was an amazing and loyal friend. But Blaine was gay and a boy and not at all a diva, which Kurt appreciated far more than he expected. And he knew, better than anyone Kurt had ever met, exactly what Kurt had gone through in high school. Sure, he'd never been slushied, or thrown against a locker by Dave Karofsky. He'd never been tossed in dumpster or referred to as "lady" by Sue Sylvester. He didn't even know who Sue Sylvester was. But he knew about the shame and the fear, the aching loneliness and the utter helplessness.

He understood all of that, and he understood Kurt.

And that was what made all of this so difficult.

* * *

One night in late June, Kurt was asked to cover the 4-12 shift on the same day Blaine took an evening shift at the cafe. Blaine came home around around 9:30, smelling of coffee and humming a song he had heard on the radio just before he left work. He was eager to get back to his guitar and take a shot at the melody.

When he stepped into the elevator, Kurt greeted him with a smile and a yawn.

"You look exhausted," Blaine observed, taking in the dark circles under Kurt's eyes. "Are you okay?"

Kurt nodded tiredly. "I was up late with Rachel," he explained. "She had a call-back for this summer theater thing today, and she needed someone to run lines with."

"Ah. Did the call-back go well, at least?"

"Apparently it did. Thank God."

"Well, good," Blaine chuckled. "I'd like to meet her some time."

He'd heard a lot about Rachel in the past few weeks, and had grown curious about the girl who Kurt had once referred to as his soulmate. (Okay, so maybe Blaine was a little irrationally jealous of her as well).

"I know, I have to introduce you guys soon," Kurt agreed. "She's a character," he added fondly. "But I think you two would get along."

"I hope so," Blaine said, trying not to be too pleased by this assessment.

As usual, they reached the 12th floor much more quickly than Blaine would have liked.

"Thanks, Kurt," he said, stepping out of the elevator. "Hang in there," he added when Kurt yawned in response.

Kurt gave him an (adorably) sleepy-eyed smile and closed the doors.

* * *

About an hour later, Kurt had started to worry that he might nod off right there in the elevator. And there was still an hour and a half, plus the trip home, standing in between him and his warm, soft, wonderful bed...

He was startled from fantasies of his pillow by the shrill ring that meant someone needed to be picked up. Grumbling to himself about the noise (seriously, he was going to have nightmares about that sound for the rest of his life), he glanced up at the button panel and was surprised to see that the number 12 was lit up. He went through the usual stages of butterflies/pretending he hadn't gotten butterflies/pulling himself together that usually accompanied a buzz from the 12th floor before he realized it probably wasn't even Blaine who had rung. Maybe his neighbor, or one of his parents?

He hoped it wasn't Mr. or Mrs. Anderson - they were both very cold, and Mr. Anderson in particular exuded an air of condescending disdain at all times. Kurt had grown increasingly resentful of them as he heard more and more about them from Blaine. He had no idea how two people like that had produced a son as warm and welcoming as Blaine. Obviously, Kurt wasn't exactly a carbon copy of his father, but they clearly shared the same values. Blaine seemed to disagree with his parents on pretty much everything, and Kurt could see why.

As it turned out, it wasn't the Andersons or the neighbors standing in the hallway when Kurt arrived on 12 - it was Blaine, dressed in sweats and baggy t-shirt, hair curly and rumpled, smiling shyly and holding a mug of what appeared to be coffee.

"Hey," Kurt said in surprise.

"I thought you could use some help staying awake," Blaine announced, extending the mug.

Kurt stared at him in awe for a moment before accepting it gratefully.

"Did you make this just for me?" Kurt asked.

Blaine nodded sheepishly. "You looked so tired," he explained. "I felt bad."

Kurt's entire body was flooded with a warm, fuzzy feeling that he suspected had much more to do with Blaine than with the sip of coffee he had just taken. He was blown away by Blaine's thoughtfulness.

"You're the best," Kurt gushed. The butterflies were doing somersaults in his stomach, and he didn't even care.

Blaine smiled and looked at his feet, which Kurt realized were bare. God, he really was too adorable for his own good.

"I hope it tastes okay," Blaine said anxiously.

"It tastes amazing," Kurt assured him, taking another gulp to prove it. "Thank you _so_ much. You're a lifesaver."

Blaine beamed.

"I need to get back to work," Kurt said regretfully, noting that someone from 4 had just rung. He was struck by a sudden and inexplicable hatred for the 4th floor. "Can I give the mug back to you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, of course," Blaine nodded, waving his hand dismissively. "Whenever."

He neglected to mention that he had given Kurt his favorite mug, the only one that he ever drank from. It was a Warblers mug, a gift from Wes and David shortly after he had transferred to Dalton and joined the group (everyone had them, they explained).

"Okay. Thanks again, Blaine. Really - so much."

"Of course. Good night, Kurt."

"Good night."

* * *

**I literally freaked out writing the last scene because Blaine is too cute for me to handle. More coming soon! Plus maybe some one-shots because I feel a sudden compulsion to counter this latest news with massive amounts of Klaine fluff. Stay strong, Klainers.**


	5. Chapter 5

**You guys are the best. Seriously. Thank you SO much for all of your feedback on the last chapter. It means the world to me. Keep it coming! And sorry that it took a little longer than usual to post this one - I really wanted to make sure I got all of the emotions, etc. right, because some pretty big stuff happens at the end. Get ready!**

* * *

Kurt returned the mug when they saw each other the next morning, thanking Blaine effusively for his generosity.

"It was a huge help," he insisted as Blaine waved away his thanks. "Seriously, I probably would have fallen asleep in the elevator otherwise."

Blaine was struck by a sudden, very lovely fantasy of carrying a peacefully sleeping Kurt to his own bed. Why had the coffee been a good idea, again?

Oh right, because Kurt had looked at him like _that_ when he offered it.

Anyway, reality. Yes.

"It was nothing," he assured Kurt, grateful for the 500th time that the other boy couldn't read his mind. "Anyway, did I tell you that I'm playing at open mic night this Thursday?"

"What?!" Kurt exclaimed. "No! That's great!"

"Yeah," Blaine nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. It was ridiculous, but he was nervous about what he was going to say next. He'd been repeating it in his head all morning - it was rather pathetic, actually. If Wes and David had known, they probably would have smacked him over the head, and even Blaine had to admit that they would have been justified in doing so.

Right. Just say it, you idiot.

He cleared his throat and looked Kurt in the eye. Oh God, so much blue.

"I'd love it if you would come," he said in a rush. It sounded far less casual than he had hoped (and rehearsed).

Sigh.

"Of course!" Kurt cried, nodding enthusiastically. He seemed genuinely excited. "I wouldn't miss it."

Blaine (barely) restrained himself from jumping up and down in elation.

"Oh - great," he said, pulling himself together. "That's great. And you should bring your friends too! If they're free, of course."

"Totally," Kurt nodded. "Rachel and Santana would love that. Although Rachel might bulldoze over innocent patrons on her way to the mic," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"I'll be on the lookout," Blaine laughed. "Will you sing?" he asked, perhaps a little too hopefully.

Kurt shook his head. "I don't have anything prepared. Maybe another time, though."

Blaine tried not to look too disappointed. He had been dying to hear Kurt sing pretty much since the day they met. If his speaking voice was that angelic, surely his singing voice was unbelievable. Not that Blaine had spent a lot of time thinking about that, or anything.

"I'll hold you to that," he managed to say. He couldn't help flashing back to the first time he had ever said that to Kurt, over a month ago now, right after their first meeting. Back then, it had seemed like there was so much potential between them. But lately he had been growing more and more convinced that Kurt didn't see him as anything more than a friend. It was frustrating and disheartening, but at this point, Blaine didn't know how to shake his feelings. He had fallen too hard.

"Deal," Kurt said with a smile.

That smile had slain him then, too.

* * *

"So you finally asked him?" Wes said, flopping down on the floor of David's room and taking a swig from his water bottle. They had just returned from playing an extremely sweaty game of pick-up soccer with a couple other guys from school (Sebastian, much to Blaine's relief, had been absent).

"Yeah. This morning," Blaine replied from his position directly in front of David's air conditioning unit.

"And how many different ways did you practice saying it beforehand?" David asked innocently.

Blaine glared at him as Wes snorted in amusement.

"Shush, David," Wes mock-reprimanded. "All that matters is that he said yes."

Blaine's stomach gave a weird half-excited, half-nervous twist at Wes's words.

"I can't wait to meet this kid," David commented.

Wes nodded his agreement, but then his expression became deadly serious. "Be careful not to drown in the ocean of his eyes, though."

David doubled over in laughter as Blaine's water bottle whizzed past Wes's head. He was beginning to question why he had decided it was a good idea to tell the two of them about Kurt in the first place.

"Have you decided what you're singing?" David asked once he had finished wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes.

"There's this new song I've been working on for the past month or so," Blaine said, crossing the room to retrieve his water bottle. David dove in front of the air conditioner as soon as he moved. "I just finished it last night, so I think I'll try it out."

"Can't wait to hear it," David said. He and Wes had always been very supportive of Blaine's music, especially once they figured out what Blaine's relationship with his parents was like.

"I bet Kurt can't wait either," Wes teased.

Blaine rolled his eyes, though of course he had been been hoping for that very thing ever since he'd invited Kurt to the show. "You two are just hilarious," he huffed.

"We try," Wes grinned.

"Seriously though, it's great that he's coming," David said, patting Blaine on the back.

"That's what he said!" Wes shouted gleefully.

Blaine blushed a brilliant red and tried (unsuccessfully) to fend off the cascade of deliriously sexy mental images that Wes's comment had unleashed.

"I hate you both," he grumbled.

* * *

"Wow, good turnout," Rachel observed as she, Kurt, and Santana stepped into Julie's on Thursday night. The cafe was buzzing with people - some sitting at tables or on big leather chairs, others leaning against the wall, most sipping on caffeinated beverages. No one was playing yet, although two guys with harmonicas looked like they might be warming up.

Kurt nodded, thinking to himself that it was great for Blaine that so many people had shown up. He wondered idly if Blaine got nervous at all before he performed.

"Is Blaine here yet?" Rachel asked eagerly, standing on tiptoe and scanning the crowd.

"Over there," Santana informed them, pointing her chin towards where Blaine was standing, talking animatedly to two guys. "Still not sure why you haven't tapped that yet, Hummel," she added.

"We're _friends_, Santana," Kurt said in annoyance. Blaine did look gorgeous though, dressed in navy blue high-waters and a simple white t-shirt. Kurt shook the thought from his head. "Come on, let's go say hi."

He led the way as they weaved through the crowd, dodging steaming hot mugs and gesticulating hands.

"Kurt!" Blaine cried happily when he saw them. "Thanks so much for coming!"

"Of course! It looks like a great crowd."

Blaine nodded, surveying the room appreciatively, then gestured to the two boys he was standing with. "Kurt, these are my friends Wes and David."

"Nice to meet you," Kurt said, extending a hand.

"You too," David replied politely.

"We've heard so much about you," Wes added pleasantly.

Blaine shot him a warning look, which Kurt failed to notice because he was turning around to introduce Rachel. Thirty seconds later she had Blaine's full attention (well, most of it, anyway - his eyes flickered over to Kurt every now and then), grilling him on his musical experience and what he was planning on getting involved with at NYU. He kept up with her good-naturedly, and Kurt looked on fondly, pleased to see that he had been right about the two of them getting along. To his right, Santana was chatting with Wes and David, who seemed impressed (if slightly taken aback) by her spunk.

The music started shortly thereafter (the guys with the harmonicas were indeed opening), and the six of them moved closer to the stage to watch. Most of the acts were surprisingly good; one in particular, a blonde girl with an edgy haircut and smoky eye makeup, had a very unique sound. Even so, Kurt spent most of the other performances eagerly (and somewhat nervously) awaiting Blaine's.

When Blaine's name was called half an hour later, Wes and David whooped and thumped him on the back.

"Good luck," Kurt murmured in his ear, to which Blaine responded with a "thank you" and an entirely unfair wink.

"Hey, I'm Blaine," he announced to the crowd as he stepped up to the mic and slipped his guitar strap over his head. "This is the first time I'm playing this song for an audience, so I hope you guys like it," he said. "And also, thanks so much to my friends who turned out to support me tonight. It means a lot." He grinned in their general direction, but his eyes seemed to linger on Kurt. Kurt took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.

Blaine glanced down at his guitar and started strumming, a sweet, lilting tune that Kurt loved from the moment he heard it. Blaine's fingers moved easily over the strings, practiced and confident. Kurt could tell right away that the boy was born to have a guitar in his hands. Then Blaine opened his mouth to sing, and it was like everything else in the room disappeared.

_Say, wasn't that a funny day_  
_Gee you had a funny way, a way about you _  
_A kind of glow, a something new_

_Sure, I'll admit that I'm the same _  
_Another sucker for a game kids like to play _  
_And the rules they like to use_

_Don't you want the way I feel _  
_Don't you want the way I feel _  
_Don't you want the way I feel for you?_

Sweet. Jesus. Kurt had assumed that Blaine was talented, but this was even more than he had expected. His voice was warm and beautiful, intoxicating and infused with emotion. And he had such a charisma about him, an energy that captured your attention and drew you in until it was impossible to look anywhere else.

_The sun, telling me the night is done _  
_Well I refuse to let it stop our fun _  
_Close your eyes, we'll make it dark again_

_A kiss - there's a thought so how 'bout this?_  
_Let's pretend that both our lips are made of candy _  
_After all, we need sweets every now and then_

Right, because Kurt definitely needed even _more_ reason to think about kissing Blaine right now.

_Don't you want the way I feel _  
_Don't you want the way I feel _  
_Don't you want the way I feel for you?_

* * *

Blaine was trying not to stare at Kurt while he performed. Really. But God, how was he supposed to look at anyone else while he sang these words? It was everything he had felt since they met - the rush, the hope, the uncertainty. The this-could-be-the-real-thing and the please-God_please_-want-me-back.

_But here we are two strangers in a very different place _  
_Who knows what will happen to us next?_  
_Here we are with nothing but this little spark _  
_It's too cold outside to lay this fire to rest_

_Go, how so very apropos _  
_A goodbye just as soon as I said hello _  
_Well alright, I'll see you later_

_It's true, it's just a fantasy for two _  
_But what's the difference if it all could have been true?_  
_I guess this is better_

The song was for Kurt. It had always been for Kurt, though he hadn't fully acknowledged it until this moment. Standing at the mic, the cafe packed with people, and he was only singing to one.

_But _  
_Don't you want the way I feel _  
_Don't you want the way I feel _  
_Don't you want the way I feel for you?_

_Oh _  
_Don't you want the way I feel _  
_Don't you want the way I feel _  
_Don't you want the way I feel for you?_

_Don't you want the way that I feel for you?_

* * *

The song ended and the cafe erupted in applause (and whistling from Wes and David). Kurt just stood there, stunned, until Rachel nudged him and he realized that he should probably be clapping too. Blaine gave a humble, gracious nod and stepped away from the mic, smiling broadly. Kurt registered just in time that Blaine was heading over to them and, in a heroic effort, managed to pull himself together. Still, he allowed the others to monopolize Blaine's attention, smiling vaguely and nodding along as Wes and David took the lead in bombarding Blaine with praise.

By the time Blaine was able to extract himself from Wes, David, and Rachel (who had offered him an entirely unsolicited, but mostly favorable critique of his peformance), Kurt had sufficiently recovered from watching him sing to be able to hold a conversation (a remarkable feat, truth be told). He was standing alone, watching happily as Santana chatted up the blonde girl with the edgy haircut (it was so good to see her moving on from Brittany), when Blaine appeared beside him.

"So, what'd you think?" he asked, somehow anxious even after the response he had gotten from the audience.

"Are you kidding?" Kurt said. "You were fantastic."

Blaine's face lit up. "Yeah?"

"Absolutely," Kurt nodded.

"Did you like the song?"

"It was beautiful," Kurt assured him, completely sincere. "I loved it."

They were very close together now, boxed into a corner by the crowd and leaning in so as to hear each other better. Blaine was watching Kurt intently, an odd, conflicted expression on his face, almost as if he was making up his mind about something.

And then:

"It's about you," he breathed.

Kurt froze, and Blaine's eyes widened as he realized what he'd just said.

"What?" Kurt gasped, mostly because he couldn't think of anything else to say. His mind was suddenly reeling.

"Oh my God," Blaine said in horror. "Oh my God, Kurt, I - shit, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have - " he rambled frantically.

Not for the first time that night, Kurt felt completely shell-shocked. He saw Blaine looking distressed, heard the words pouring out of his mouth, and yet found himself completely unable to process them.

Blaine having feelings for him wasn't part of the plan.

"We're friends," he stammered automatically, barely aware of what he was saying. He'd repeated the mantra so often to himself that it spilled out before he could stop it. "I thought we were friends."

Blaine's face fell.

"Friends," he repeated, his voice strangely flat.

Kurt felt sick.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," he said, hating himself.

"Please don't," Blaine begged desperately, reaching for Kurt and then retracting his hand as he seemed to think better of it.

"I'm sorry," Kurt whispered again.

Then he turned and fled, leaving Blaine confused and devastated in his wake.

* * *

**Don't hate me?**

**The song is "Don't You," by the one and only Darren Criss.**


	6. Chapter 6

**OKAY HI first off I am SO SORRY to have taken so long in posting this chapter... life got very busy and then I was having writer's block and yeah. But I hope you find it was worth the wait. Writing it certainly made me happy :). And that's all, I think. Hope you like it!**

* * *

"Kurt, we can't hear you when you talk into the pillow," Rachel sighed in exasperation.

It was several hours after the incident at open mic night, and Kurt was lying facedown on his bed, lamenting his own idiocy. Rachel and Santana had found him in exactly this position when they arrived back at the apartment, breathless and confused after chasing him out of the cafe.

"Mmph," Kurt replied in a muffled voice.

"Can you please just tell us what happened?" Rachel said gently. "I mean, why you ran out?"

"I'm getting bored," Santana said, yawning deliberately. "Start talking or I'm going to paint my nails over your Alexander McQueen collection."

Kurt sat bolt upright, his expression frantic. "You _wouldn't_," he gasped, scandalized.

Santana shrugged and looked at him expectantly. "So? What happened?"

Kurt sighed, his shoulders slumping. Rachel nodded at him encouragingly.

"Blaine told me that the song he played was about me," Kurt said. Rachel clapped a hand to her mouth, and even Santana looked mildly surprised.

"That's so _romantic_!" Rachel burst out.

Kurt glared at her. "Not helping."

"Sorry," Rachel apologized. "So what did you say?"

"I told him I thought we were friends," Kurt said guiltily. "And then I said I had to go. So... I went."

Rachel and Santana stared at him, clearly bemused.

"I panicked, okay?" Kurt cried. "I said, I _said_ we were just gonna be friends and then he dropped that on me and I... I didn't know what to do." He sighed helpessly, rubbing a hand over his face.

"I don't get it," Santana announced. "The last time I checked, you could barely keep it in your pants around this kid. Then he writes you a love song and you bail?" She gave Kurt an appraising look. "You two should be fucking in the bathroom of the cafe right now."

Kurt opened his mouth indignantly, but Rachel intervened.

"What Santana _means_ to say, I think," she said placatingly, "is... we thought you liked him."

"I did!" Kurt said. "I do," he admitted. "It's just... nothing like this has ever happened to me before. He took me by surprise and in the moment it was just... too much. Like I said, I panicked." He flopped back down on his bed, distraught. The conversation with Blaine had been playing in his head on repeat since he left the cafe, and every time he remembered what he'd said, and the look on Blaine's face when he said it, he felt worse. He didn't even know what had happened, really - just that he'd gotten scared and hidden behind the "just friends" facade rather than face the truth.

"Okay, look, it's going to be fine," Rachel said soothingly, tugging Kurt back to an upright position. "That's a big thing to hear, and you freaked out. It happens."

Kurt looked skeptical, and Rachel turned to Santana for support.

"What?" Santana snapped.

"I thought you might have some useful insight into this situation," Rachel said pointedly.

Santana rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest defensively. "Feelings suck," she said. "We all know how long it took me to acknowledge how I felt about..." she paused, and it was one of those rare, beautiful moments when you could see the vulnerability in Santana. "About Britt."

If he hadn't known that she would have smacked him for it, Kurt would have hugged her.

"But if it's really how you feel, you shouldn't deny it," she concluded.

Kurt gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Santana."

Her walls were up again, but she nodded. "Only for you, Hummel."

"I agree with Santana," Rachel declared.

"You're the one who thought this whole thing with Blaine was a bad idea in the first place," Kurt pointed out.

"That was before we knew how he felt about you," Rachel countered. "And before I knew how hard you had fallen for him. If you turn away from this now, you could lose him all together."

Kurt looked down at his hands, his heart sinking even further. God, he had really fucked things up.

"So what do I do?" he asked weakly.

"Apology blow job," Santana offered.

Kurt was too distressed to even bother glaring at her.

"Why don't you just call him and apologize?" Rachel suggested.

"No, do it in person," Santana said.

"Santana, I'm not giving him a bl- "

"I meant the apology, dumbass," she interrupted him. "You should apologize in person."

"Oh."

"And tell him you feel," Rachel added.

Kurt's stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought, but he knew they were right. The only way to fix things with Blaine was to be as honest and brave as Blaine had been with him. That is, if Blaine was ever willing to speak to him again after tonight.

"Yeah, okay," Kurt said. "Ugh. This sucks."

Rachel nodded sympathetically and wrapped her arms around him. "It's going to be okay, though."

Kurt really hoped she was right.

* * *

The next morning, Kurt very seriously considered calling in sick for the day or, even more appealingly, just quitting altogether. Rachel dragged him out of bed, forced him to drink a glass of grapefruit juice, and then physically pushed him out the door. He spent the walk to work trying to figure out what the hell he was going to say to Blaine when he saw him. By the time he arrived at the building, he felt nauseous.

For the next half hour, Kurt nearly jumped out of his skin every time the elevator bell rang. His eyes would frantically search the button panel until the realization that it wasn't someone from 12 briefly calmed him down. This cycle was getting so exhausting that by the time the 12 button finally lit up, it was almost a relief.

The ride from the lobby up to the 12th floor seemed to take no time at all. Kurt barely even had time to panic (more than he already had been, that is) before he was rolling the doors open to reveal Blaine, standing in his hallway and looking just as uncomfortable as Kurt felt. They stared at each other, and Kurt would have given anything to know what Blaine was thinking in that moment. Then they both started to say "hi" at the same time, stopping abruptly when they realized the other was speaking.

Great. This wasn't going to be awkward at all.

"Hi," Kurt said again.

"Hi," Blaine replied stiffly, stepping into the elevator.

Kurt turned towards Blaine, ready to apologize, but Blaine beat him to it.

"I'm really sorry about last night," he said quietly, his cheeks flushing. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"Blaine - "

"No, it's okay," Blaine interrupted him, shaking his head. "Can we just pretend like it never happened? Please?"

Kurt hesitated. "I - sure," he sighed. He wanted to protest, but he wasn't about to declare his feelings for Blaine if Blaine suddenly wanted to forget the whole thing.

"Thanks."

The rest of the ride down was horribly silent, save for Blaine's mumbled "thank you" as he exited the elevator. When the doors had shut behind him, Kurt slumped against the wall, defeated. He had effectively ruined his relationship with Blaine - that much was clear now. He hadn't thought it was possible, but now he felt even worse than he had before.

* * *

As it turned out, "pretending like it never happened" meant pretending like nothing had ever happened between them - including their friendship. They were perfectly cordial when they saw each other in the elevator, exchanging hellos and how-are-yous before standing in painfully awkward silence. They didn't go for their usual coffee on Monday, but neither of them acknowledged that this was strange. The dynamic of their relationship had shifted irreparably, it seemed, and neither of them knew where to go from here.

Rachel and Santana were at a loss for how to cheer Kurt up, and even though Blaine insisted he was fine, Wes and David had never seen him so down. It wasn't Kurt's rejection that was really getting to him - though that was painful, no question there - but rather the way their friendship had completely crumbled since the night in the cafe. It had really only been a few days, but Blaine desperately missed Kurt's presence in his life. He missed coffee and Kurt's laugh and learning new things about him every day. Being just friends when he wanted so much more had been difficult, but behaving like mere acquaintances was infinitely harder.

He knew he had royally screwed things up with that ridiculous confession of love at the cafe, but he had hoped they would be able to move past it. Well, really he had hoped that Kurt would say he felt the same way, but clearly that had been wishful thinking. He had been caught up in the moment, in the song and the way Kurt looked, so close to him in the dim light of the cafe, and he had let his romantic side get the better of him. Yes, he wished that the things had gone differently, but really he just wanted his friend back.

* * *

Kurt reached his breaking point exactly a week after the open mic night incident. He was working the 4-12 shift, and much to his surprise, Blaine showed up around 9:30, having worked a late shift as well. On their way up to 12, Blaine made a feeble comment about the weather, and that was it for Kurt. If they had been reduced to talking about the weather, there was really no way things could get any worse.

It was time for him to suck it up and say something.

They reached 12, and Blaine stepped out into the hallway, fumbling with his keys.

Kurt took a deep breath. _Courage_.

"Blaine."

Blaine spun around, a vaguely hopeful expression on his face.

"The song," Kurt said. Blaine froze. "You really wrote it for me?"

For a second, time itself seemed to stand still - as if it understood just how important this moment was. Neither of them moved as they watched each other, the silence pressing down around them.

Blaine swallowed. "Yes," he breathed.

His expression was cautious, like he didn't dare get his hopes up about where this was going. It made Kurt's heart ache in more ways than one. And then he knew what he had to do.

Before he had time to talk himself out of it, Kurt stepped up to the edge of the elevator, grabbed Blaine's face between his hands, and kissed him like he had wanted to since the day they met. Blaine's lips were gloriously soft against his and - after the initial gasp of surprise - they parted willingly, which Kurt (despite his very limited experience with such things) thought was probably a very good sign. His hands settled on Kurt's waist, pulling him so close that Kurt could feel Blaine's heart thumping in his chest.

When they finally broke apart, Blaine was watching him with wide, wondering eyes, his lips a little redder than before. Kurt thought he could get used to seeing him like that.

"That's what I should have done at the cafe," Kurt murmured, his hands dropping to his sides. "And I am so sorry it took me a week to tell you that."

"It was worth the wait," Blaine said a little breathlessly, grinning like an idiot.

Kurt blushed and grinned right back.

"I have to finish my shift," he said reluctantly. "But do you maybe want to get coffee tomorrow morning? So we can talk?"

Blaine was nodding before he even finished his sentence. "Yeah. Absolutely."

"'Kay," Kurt smiled. He thought he would probably still be smiling when he met Blaine the next morning, and for a very long time after that. "See you then."

They bade each other goodnight a little wistfully, and when Kurt closed the doors, he took a moment to do a happy dance around the elevator. Unbeknownst to him, Blaine was doing the same thing on the other side of the door.

* * *

**:) :) :)**

**Stay tuned for copious amounts of fluff in the next chapter...**


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